Is Haro a real Mountain Bike Company?

I'm getting mixed views with Haro. They make decent bikes, but most people don't even consider them as true mountain bikes. Is there something wrong with them? I'm thinking of getting the Haro X2, but some people are telling me that Haro makes crappy bikes. Seems likes a great bike for the buck. I've compared it to Kona's Coiler. Very similar bikes except the coiler has a nicer fork and hydrolic discs. The Haro has better components, rear shock, 8" front disc, and is lighter. It also costs only 1100, compared to the coiler's 1600. What's the deal here? Is Haro a bad bike company? Should I not buy the bike because it's a Haro? Thanks.

I haven't...

Originally Posted by K2theG

I'm getting mixed views with Haro. They make decent bikes, but most people don't even consider them as true mountain bikes. Is there something wrong with them? I'm thinking of getting the Haro X2, but some people are telling me that Haro makes crappy bikes. Seems likes a great bike for the buck. I've compared it to Kona's Coiler. Very similar bikes except the coiler has a nicer fork and hydrolic discs. The Haro has better components, rear shock, 8" front disc, and is lighter. It also costs only 1100, compared to the coiler's 1600. What's the deal here? Is Haro a bad bike company? Should I not buy the bike because it's a Haro? Thanks.

Kyle

heard bad things about them, but I've never considered them because they aren't sold any where near me. As for better components you don't say the brand or model and that makes a big difference. A rear shock is not better if it's a cheap and works like a pogo stick. "Hydraulic" brakes aren't necessarily good if they're poorly made, hard to adjust and don't last. So while you seem to think the Haro is a better deal you have to be more specific. Try checking the product review section. You'll find some decent info there if you ignore the bashing that some people do.

yeah i'd like to know too.

I haven't heard good or bad, in fact haven't heard anything about these guys and they are supposed to be the next city over from me. In my life on the local trails i have met or seen somebody from the local companies around here but i don't think i have ever met anyone from Haro.

Haro makes great value bikes

I have been riding with a Haro hardtail racer for many years now, although it was reduced to a leisure ride after I bought a Spec. Enduro. It's a top-of-the-line Impulse Comp from '95 but I have changed all the parts except FD and frame to lighter components (I'm a weight-weenie). The frame is Easton Elan tubing and very nice indeed.
I had a Cannondale M700 before it and I think that Haro is a better bike. At least it was a serious bang for the buck. Back in the days I got this bike with full XT gruppo + ultra expensive RS Judy SL Ti for 2000 euros. I remember that the fork was almost 1000 euros alone in aftermarket sales. At the same time equivalent GT Zaskar would cost 3000 euros or more and Haro was still lighter than GT.

Anyway, Haro is known more as a BMX company, but all my friends have been very happy with their Haro MTB's. Factory support is great too. My cousin broke an shock pivot bolt in his '95 Extreme Comp FS and Haro sent a new axle and bushings for him for 20 euros. And we are talking about 9-year-old bike! I think that nowadays it is difficult to get any parts for a 3-year-old bikes...

I haven't seen that much the newer Haros but they seem to be great for a little rougher riding than the XC race machines back in the middle-nineties...

i rode my 7 year old haro vector V0 ($225) in Asheville, NC over spring break. no suspension on this badboy, just a CrMo frame and some crappy crappy parts. I was faster than some tool in our group who was riding an XTC1. I must say the frame has held up really really well with all the unwarrented beating i've given it.

'03 X2

I've totally loved my X2. Although it was spec'd completely different than this year's model, and i've upgraded quite a bit of the stock spec, the frame is pretty hefty and handles well.

Yeah, I don't know - no one seems to take them seriously as a mtn bike manufacturer. None of the magazines ever review their bikes in depth. (although I don't regularly read any one particular biking magazine, I've never seen anything mentioned about them)
And I never see anyone riding them.

We ride local!

Originally Posted by Ratt

I haven't heard good or bad, in fact haven't heard anything about these guys and they are supposed to be the next city over from me. In my life on the local trails i have met or seen somebody from the local companies around here but i don't think i have ever met anyone from Haro.

Ratt - It's up to y'all if Haro is a real bike company, but as for the riding local trails, we are out there all the time. We just don't make it seem like a big deal and are inconspicuous most of the time. We ride Flightline almost every day at lunch. We ride Daley Ranch (I'm usually there on my tandem with my kid), Discovery Hills, Noble, Anderson, San Juan, Big Bear, Mt Wilson (every once in a while), and every where in between. Hang out at Flightline during lunch and you'll run into one of us eventually. Our office is right up the street from Flightline off Park Center.

I have an 04, X2, and it is a great bike. Haro has been around for many years building bmx bikes. My daughter has a three year old 24" Haro bmx cruiser that I put a set of Judy XC's on and she absolutely loves it. I talked to a few people before I bought my X2 two weeks ago, and everyone said go for it. Haro is up and coming in the mtbr world.

Blanket Statement

Why do they suck?
You can't make such a statement, especially in a forum-type situation without any material to back it up. Give a real reason, and there'll be some validity to your comment.
K2, maybe - going from skis to snowboards to bikes isn't exactly playing the same game, but why does Haro suck, as you say?

Skis? Snowboards? Skateboards? BMX?

Why do they suck?
K2, maybe - going from skis to snowboards to bikes isn't exactly playing the same game, but why does Haro suck, as you say?

Isn't it Santacruz started out with skateboards also?

Haro is not famous for few shops sells their high end MTBs..try looking at their design and other high end bikes like Santacruz...youll be suprise with the similarity of Werks & SC Superlight then try to compare the price

Have you taken a good look at their bikes? Some models are exact copies of the Instense M1, Tracer and Santa Cruz Superlight, why you may ask? The do contract manufacturing on their high end models and that's why they are exactly the same with Haro decals.

Are Haro bikes good? Yes they are, one of their issues on my book is how the bikes looks, they're a bit ugly compared with similar bikes from other manufacturers. But if you want bang for your buck, Haro is an excellent choice.

Is Santa Cruz Skateboard Co. the same as Santa Cruz Bicycle Co? Maybe, I have no idea but firmly believe they're not related. Or maybe Santa Cruz something owns them both, who knows. SC skateboards were good in the 70's and early 80's but were left behing like many other skateboard companies, I used to own a couple of them and really liked them but loved my Alva and Smith boards.

Haro is not famous for few shops sells their high end MTBs..try looking at their design and other high end bikes like Santacruz...youll be suprise with the similarity of Werks & SC Superlight then try to compare the price

Santa Cruz Bikes is a totally different company than the skaboard/snowboard company - they only share the logo.
Intense made the Werks DHR for Haro, which they stopped producing in '02 or something. Yeah, the Extreme is pretty much the Bullit, and the Werks is pretty much the Superlight...........now that Santa Cruz is making their single pivot frames in Taiwan, are they still the "botique" company they were a few years ago?
Maybe, but what difference does it make? We're just the consumers. Some people strut around as if they smelted the aluminum and butted the tubes that their bike is made out of...while all they did was pay for the damn thing. It doesn't really matter what bike you ride, honestly. If it fulfills your needs, and you enjoy riding it, who cares who it's made by (which company, not which country of manufacture).
The bottom line is, just ride the damn thing. Have a good time, and be safe.

my reasons

Originally Posted by biblebasher

Why do they suck?
You can't make such a statement, especially in a forum-type situation without any material to back it up. Give a real reason, and there'll be some validity to your comment.
K2, maybe - going from skis to snowboards to bikes isn't exactly playing the same game, but why does Haro suck, as you say?

First of all santa cruz bikes and santa cruz everything else are completely different, they don't even share the same logo, the lettering is different and the symbol for the bikes is that s in the shape of a rider and the snow board... well I don't know what it is but its is completely different. As for haro, just because 1 company copies the design of another does not make them the same bike. lets take the kona king kikapu for example( the best xc bike they make) the geometry is very similar to the ellsworth truth or any traditional 4 bar suspension minus a little travel. The king kikapu freakin sucks the bike is rougher than my hardtail. and the suspension is not even nearly as plush, not to mention the frame is easier to dent than a pepsi can. If you buy a knock off bike because the suspension looks the same, you might as well go to wall mart and by a pacific or a huffy because they make them too. You won't see a bike magazine comparing a haro with a blur, or a spyder. there not even in the same class. you get what you pay for no matter what you think unless your comparing campagnolo record with dura-ace. Then your paying for the pimpness of carbon, but in 95 percent of all other circumstances you get what you pay for. I've never seen a haro at a race ever, and hope to never see one.

single pivot?

I have friends that ride and race haro's and love them,i've rode them and they feel solid.I personally prefer 4-bar linkage over single pivot but with shock technology "propedal anti-bob etc."single pivot bikes may make a move.Single pivot bikes are generally lighter with less maint.
Haro is a solid company,don't think you would be disappointed.

I hope you do,dude;

Originally Posted by indyfab21

First of all santa cruz bikes and santa cruz everything else are completely different, they don't even share the same logo, the lettering is different and the symbol for the bikes is that s in the shape of a rider and the snow board... well I don't know what it is but its is completely different. As for haro, just because 1 company copies the design of another does not make them the same bike. lets take the kona king kikapu for example( the best xc bike they make) the geometry is very similar to the ellsworth truth or any traditional 4 bar suspension minus a little travel. The king kikapu freakin sucks the bike is rougher than my hardtail. and the suspension is not even nearly as plush, not to mention the frame is easier to dent than a pepsi can. If you buy a knock off bike because the suspension looks the same, you might as well go to wall mart and by a pacific or a huffy because they make them too. You won't see a bike magazine comparing a haro with a blur, or a spyder. there not even in the same class. you get what you pay for no matter what you think unless your comparing campagnolo record with dura-ace. Then your paying for the pimpness of carbon, but in 95 percent of all other circumstances you get what you pay for. I've never seen a haro at a race ever, and hope to never see one.

will prove the brand is improving & hopefully stere-o-types like yourself will find something better to do.

I started with bmx in the eighties, raced factory SE. I raced against haro, hell for that matter raced againts alot of the cats designing the tubes between your legs. Haro builds a tuff product! Yes, they started with bmx. Mitsubishi started with wwII airplanes. I don't understand why a person would bash anothers ride. Your talking apples/oranges, what works for one person may not for another,but don't bash them. Especially if you still have your hands in your parents wallet!
I recently purchased a specialized hardrock for my 9 year old and a trek xtc for the wife. They work great for them and my wife rides the xtc harded than alot of the kids. Personally, I break everything. I bought a haro 8.2 with some upgrades 3 days ago, took it too razorback in the quarries and it held up very nice. I would consider it to be a great mtb hardtail!

First of all santa cruz bikes and santa cruz everything else are completely different, they don't even share the same logo, the lettering is different and the symbol for the bikes is that s in the shape of a rider and the snow board... well I don't know what it is but its is completely different. As for haro, just because 1 company copies the design of another does not make them the same bike. lets take the kona king kikapu for example( the best xc bike they make) the geometry is very similar to the ellsworth truth or any traditional 4 bar suspension minus a little travel. The king kikapu freakin sucks the bike is rougher than my hardtail. and the suspension is not even nearly as plush, not to mention the frame is easier to dent than a pepsi can. If you buy a knock off bike because the suspension looks the same, you might as well go to wall mart and by a pacific or a huffy because they make them too. You won't see a bike magazine comparing a haro with a blur, or a spyder. there not even in the same class. you get what you pay for no matter what you think unless your comparing campagnolo record with dura-ace. Then your paying for the pimpness of carbon, but in 95 percent of all other circumstances you get what you pay for. I've never seen a haro at a race ever, and hope to never see one.

You are totally missing the point. You're obviously a XC snob with a frame-matching jersey up your a$$. Get over yourself and realize it's a sport, not a fashion show.
The funny thing is, you're acting as you're Mr.IndependentFabrications himself...you probably just bought a bike of theirs and ride it. So who are you fooling by putting down everything that isn't what you ride? You had nothing to do with making the bike. You're a waste of everyone's time. Bike magazines review bikes by the companies that buy the most advertising space. Damn, your snobbishness ruined my day. You suck.

rebuttle

Originally Posted by biblebasher

You are totally missing the point. You're obviously a XC snob with a frame-matching jersey up your a$$. Get over yourself and realize it's a sport, not a fashion show.
The funny thing is, you're acting as you're Mr.IndependentFabrications himself...you probably just bought a bike of theirs and ride it. So who are you fooling by putting down everything that isn't what you ride? You had nothing to do with making the bike. You're a waste of everyone's time. Bike magazines review bikes by the companies that buy the most advertising space. Damn, your snobbishness ruined my day. You suck.

Your right on one thing, I am a bike snob. But after having and riding the best bikes there are, you become a bike snob. I can't look at a bike made up of LX components with no name handlebars and fisher price wheels and get sycked. I'm sorry that doesn't happen. Just because you ride a piece of **** bike doesn't mean you should get all pissed off at those that don't. I've worked at a bike shoppe for 6 years and have owned more bikes than you can probably name, including all the bikes I named in earlier posts. I'm sorry I ruined your day but, you shouldn't blame others for your poor decisions in bike purchases Judging by your name your probably some dipshit jehovas witness that rides his haro door to door handing out your dumbass pamphlets, sorry thats not mnt biking! I'd love for you to come race out west in my town so i could lap your ass and laugh as your bike bounces and squeakes up the hill. By the way I can't name one bikeshoppe in Arizona or Utah that carries Haro, I know you can find them at gart bros but then again those are all bmx bikes. DICK.

listen, child.

biblebasher is a deicide song - it happened to be what was playing on the itunes when i registered with the forum. i claim no religious affiliation

i buy what i buy because mommy and daddy don't buy me a new bike every time i throw a tantrum and want a new one. you are obviously a rich, spoiled brat and can't stand to be talked back to. by no means are haros pieces of $hit, they're made alright and they last. i don't need to prove myself to some whining, tantrum throwing crybaby.
i know my abilities and what i buy suits me just fine. i don't have to spend a few thousand on a frame to make me feel like i'm a better rider. your profile says you ride road - is that the truth?, because you sure act like a roadie.
get over yourself. no one's impressed, especially me.
you spelled "psyched" wrong, maybe you should spend more time studying and less time riding.

alright

Originally Posted by indyfab21

Your right on one thing, I am a bike snob. But after having and riding the best bikes there are, you become a bike snob. I can't look at a bike made up of LX components with no name handlebars and fisher price wheels and get sycked. I'm sorry that doesn't happen. Just because you ride a piece of **** bike doesn't mean you should get all pissed off at those that don't. I've worked at a bike shoppe for 6 years and have owned more bikes than you can probably name, including all the bikes I named in earlier posts. I'm sorry I ruined your day but, you shouldn't blame others for your poor decisions in bike purchases Judging by your name your probably some dipshit jehovas witness that rides his haro door to door handing out your dumbass pamphlets, sorry thats not mnt biking! I'd love for you to come race out west in my town so i could lap your ass and laugh as your bike bounces and squeakes up the hill. By the way I can't name one bikeshoppe in Arizona or Utah that carries Haro, I know you can find them at gart bros but then again those are all bmx bikes. DICK.

the fact that you need a boutique bike the costs thousands more to win a race does not say much about your riding capabilities and endurance. ive had quite a few bikes over the years. if theres a ride you feel works then go with it. doesnt matter who made it or what it costs. ive beat the **** out of some guys in truths and blurs with bikes that have cost less than half as much.

Part of me does not want to jump in this thread but, I just want to clarify two points that indyfab21 made. First, take a good look at the pivot points on the Kona KIkapu. Not the same as a Truth. Second, there is a chain of bike shops that sell Haro in Utah.

Holy **** dude, calm down

Part of me does not want to jump in this thread but, I just want to clarify two points that indyfab21 made. First, take a good look at the pivot points on the Kona KIkapu. Not the same as a Truth. Second, there is a chain of bike shops that sell Haro in Utah.

Alright! Nice post there....I guess he didnt learned anything after 6 yrs in the bike shop after all

Guys enough bashing about religious affiliation... stick to the subject.

Haro is a good company..their bikes frames are made in Taiwan. I guess I'll hear another thing again about those unfair labor practice, working condition...this will never end.

Your right on one thing, I am a bike snob. But after having and riding the best bikes there are, you become a bike snob. I can't look at a bike made up of LX components with no name handlebars and fisher price wheels and get sycked. I'm sorry that doesn't happen. Just because you ride a piece of **** bike doesn't mean you should get all pissed off at those that don't. I've worked at a bike shoppe for 6 years and have owned more bikes than you can probably name, including all the bikes I named in earlier posts. I'm sorry I ruined your day but, you shouldn't blame others for your poor decisions in bike purchases Judging by your name your probably some dipshit jehovas witness that rides his haro door to door handing out your dumbass pamphlets, sorry thats not mnt biking! I'd love for you to come race out west in my town so i could lap your ass and laugh as your bike bounces and squeakes up the hill. By the way I can't name one bikeshoppe in Arizona or Utah that carries Haro, I know you can find them at gart bros but then again those are all bmx bikes. DICK.

Spelling, spelling, spelling...

Anyways if you had worked in a bike shop for six years you would know that the King Kickapu although a great bike is probably not the best XC bike ever. Right now, I hope you quit your job, because its guys like you that give the LBS a bad reputation, and turn away entry level riders with your supreme omniscience. What brands do you like? Santa Cruz? Hmm I am trying to recall how many times we've replace the bushings on a Blur... I don't remember exactly but its up there. They are nice bikes, and nicer than a Haro, but at Haro's price level the quality and specs are pretty unbeatable.

You also make the comparison to Walmart bikes saying that just because the suspension looks the part doesn't mean its up to par. Marzocchi makes the forks on Haro's, Specialized, Kona's, etc etc. Are you suggesting the Same Marz MZ Comp (I think thats the name) that goes on the Haro is a crappier fork than the Marz MZ Comp that gets put on a Kona? ITS THE SAME FORK!!! Haro uses the same OEM components that most other major manufacturers do. I'm not even writing this for the sake of educating you, because that would obviously be a failed endeavor given the fact that in 6 years of bike shop experience you still haven't learned anything. I'm writing this to defend Haro, and everyone out there who can't afford a botique bike. They make a fine bike, and I personally would be proud to put an Extreme next to my $1630 Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail, which incidentally is regularly used to whomp on your $3000 f/s bikes. I know there are guys out there on a upgraded Mongoose with old LX 8spd stuff that can lay the hurt on me (I ride with him). Grow up and quit your job before you do anymore harm to our sport.

It Can handle a epic Ride

Originally Posted by K2theG

I'm getting mixed views with Haro. They make decent bikes, but most people don't even consider them as true mountain bikes. Is there something wrong with them? I'm thinking of getting the Haro X2, but some people are telling me that Haro makes crappy bikes. Seems likes a great bike for the buck. I've compared it to Kona's Coiler. Very similar bikes except the coiler has a nicer fork and hydrolic discs. The Haro has better components, rear shock, 8" front disc, and is lighter. It also costs only 1100, compared to the coiler's 1600. What's the deal here? Is Haro a bad bike company? Should I not buy the bike because it's a Haro? Thanks.

Kyle

Hey Kyle,

I'm borrowing a Haro Werks frame from my website sponsor at the moment until I get my new 5" Jamis Dakar XLT 2.0 that is on order. I do epic rides of 30-40 miles and endurance races of 60-100 miles and I think have a good feel for a bike. The frame I am borrowing is a Haro Werks with a Cane Creek Cloud Nine air shock on the rear. This bike is basically a Santa Cruz Supelight clone. I did 25 miles on it on Friday and 30 miles yesterday. This is a good climbing bike( 19 miles of yesterdays ride was climbing doubletrack rock gardens and switchback singletrack) with very little pedal feedback and a true downhill speed demon on technical descents. I hucked 3 foot drops with no problem and ran though studder style root and rock gardens with bike tracking well and soaking it up the whole time. I did notice a little lateral flex in the rear triangle while heavy torqing during sprints and standing up and hammering out a climb.